Induction of tissue transglutaminase in mouse peritoneal macrophages.

Tissue transglutaminase accumulates rapidly and to very high levels (1-2% of cellular protein) in mouse peritoneal macrophages cultured in mouse serum. The induction is due to accelerated synthesis of the enzyme (150-fold increase) that occurs within 90 min of exposure of the cells to a heat-labile constituent of serum or plasma. The induction is reversible and is not reproduced by known activators of macrophage function such as lipopolysaccharide, muramyl dipeptide, and tuftsin. In animals, elevated levels of tissue transglutaminase are also found in inflammatory macrophages elicited by thioglycolate broth.